INTRODUCTION TO ISAIAH CHAPTER 15

T

he Moabites were a product of Lot’s incest with his daughters. They dwelt eastward along the banks of the river Arnon, which runs westward into the Dead Sea. Their principal cities were Ar, Kir, Bozrah, Heshbon, Elealeh, &c. When the Israelites on their way to Canaan, camped on their border they along with the Ammonites had a scheme to hire Balaam to curse that people. The scheme back-fired and both were excluded from the congregation of Israel for all generations. During the Judges the Moabites grievously oppressed the Israelites, but were driven out of Canaan by Ehud, and Eglon their king was slain. Both Saul and David warred with the Moabites. David conquered the Ammonites and Moabites and put them in subjection. This lasted for about 150 years until Ahab died and they rebelled and regained their liberty. When the Syrians and the Assyrians conquered the ten tribes of Israel the Moabites seized several cities which lay next to them and ravaged them in a most inhuman way and murdered its inhabitants. They assisted the Chaldeans in ravaging the kingdom of Israel. Not long after the fall of Jerusalem the Moabites along with the Ammonites assisted in the murder of Gedaliah and provoking Nebuchadnezzar who invaded their country and carried off their wealth, burning their cities, and murdering the inhabitants, leaving their land an absolute desert. In the next chapter we will learn more about the small remnant that remains and how during the Maccabean era that Janneus, the grand nephew of Judas Maccabeus reduced the Moabites into a state of slavery to the Jewish nation. Fifty of their cities lay in ruins and no one dwells there unto this day. For more information on the Moabites see my article in the book of Amos chapter two.

EXPOSITION TO ISAIAH CHAPTER 15

1The burden of Moab. Because in the night Ar of Moab is laid waste, and brought to silence; because in the night Kir of Moab is laid waste, and brought to silence;

The prophet has a woeful prediction of the doom of Moab. The storm troops came at night and Ar and Kir was sacked and her battlements fell and she met her doom.

CROSS REFERENCE SCRIPTURES THAT

CORROBORATE THE TEXT:

Isa 25:10 For in this mountain shall the hand of the LORD rest, and Moab shall be trodden down under him, even as straw is trodden down for the dunghill. Read: Jer 48:1-47; Eze 25:8-11; Eze 25:8-11; Amo 2:1-3

2He is gone up to Bajith, and to Dibon, the high places, to weep: Moab shall howl over Nebo, and over Medeba: on all their heads shall be baldness, and every beard cut off.

The Bajithites and the Dibonites head for their shrines to weep and wail they cut off their beards and shaved their heads in sorrow and shame.

CROSS REFERENCE SCRIPTURES

THAT MAKE THE CASE:

Isa 16:12 And it shall come to pass, when it is seen that Moab is weary on the high place, that he shall come to his sanctuary to pray; but he shall not prevail.

Jer 48:18 Thou daughter that dost inhabit Dibon, come down from thy glory, and sit in thirst; for the spoiler of Moab shall come upon thee, and he shall destroy thy strong holds.

Jer 48:22-25 And upon Dibon, and upon Nebo, and upon Bethdiblathaim, And upon Kiriathaim, and upon Bethgamul, and upon Bethmeon,And upon Kerioth, and upon Bozrah, and upon all the cities of the land of Moab, far or near. The horn of Moab is cut off, and his arm is broken, saith the LORD.

3In their streets they shall gird themselves with sackcloth: on the tops of their houses, and in their streets, every one shall howl, weeping abundantly.

The streets of their towns were filled with people wearing burlap clothing and on the patios of their roof tops they were burdened with lamenting and soaked with tears.

CROSS REFERENCE SCRIPTURES

THAT ILLUMINATE THE TEXT:

Jer 48:38-39There shall be lamentation generally upon all the housetops of Moab, and in the streets thereof: for I have broken Moab like a vessel wherein is no pleasure, saith the LORD. They shall howl, saying, How is it broken down! how hath Moab turned the back with shame! so shall Moab be a derision and a dismaying to all them about him

4And Heshbon shall cry, and Elealeh: their voice shall be heard even unto Jahaz: therefore the armed soldiers of Moab shall cry out; his life shall be grievous unto him.

Two more towns are mentioned and their loud wailing and crying could be heard in the next town of Jahaz. Their bravest soldiers courage is ebbing away.

CROSS REFERENCE SCRIPTURES

THAT INDORSE THE TEXT:

Isa 16:8-9 For the fields of Heshbon languish, and the vine of Sibmah: the lords of the heathen have broken down the principal plants thereof, they are come even unto Jazer, they wandered through the wilderness: her branches are stretched out, they are gone over the sea. Therefore I will bewail with the weeping of Jazer the vine of Sibmah: I will water thee with my tears, O Heshbon, and Elealeh: for the shouting for thy summer fruits and for thy harvest is fallen.

Jer 48:34 From the cry of Heshbon even unto Elealeh, and even unto Jahaz, have they uttered their voice, from Zoar even unto Horonaim, as an heifer of three years old: for the waters also of Nimrim shall be desolate.

5My heart shall cry out for Moab; his fugitives shall flee unto Zoar, an heifer of three years old: for by the mounting up of Luhith with weeping shall they go it up; for in the way of Horonaim they shall raise up a cry of destruction.

Even the prophet is grieveing for Moab. As they wind their way up the slope of the mountain trail every step was marked with tears─they were wailing─we are ruined─the cries of disaster could be heard all the way to Horonaim. They are all heading to their chapel in the hills to implore their god for help. There is sobs, shaking,and grief as Moab trembles in despair.

CROSS REFERENCE SCRIPTURES THAT

LEND EVIDENCE TO THE TEXT:

Jer 48:31-36 Therefore will I howl for Moab, and I will cry out for all Moab; mine heart shall mourn for the men of Kirheres. O vine of Sibmah, I will weep for thee with the weeping of Jazer: thy plants are gone over the sea, they reach even to the sea of Jazer: the spoiler is fallen upon thy summer fruits and upon thy vintage. And joy and gladness is taken from the plentiful field, and from the land of Moab; and I have caused wine to fail from the winepresses: none shall tread with shouting; their shouting shall be no shouting. From the cry of Heshbon even unto Elealeh, and even unto Jahaz, have they uttered their voice, from Zoar even unto Horonaim, as an heifer of three years old: for the waters also of Nimrim shall be desolate. Moreover I will cause to cease in Moab, saith the LORD, him that offereth in the high places, and him that burneth incense to his gods. Therefore mine heart shall sound for Moab like pipes, and mine heart shall sound like pipes for the men of Kirheres: because the riches that he hath gotten are perished.

6For the waters of Nimrim shall be desolate: for the hay is withered away, the grass faileth, there is no green thing.

The springs that supply the city of Nimrim are dried up. The hay crop has not been cut and hauled into the barns─the grass of the pastures have turned brown from lack of water─nothing is growing─gardens and orchards are failing.

CROSS REFERENCE SCRIPTURES

THAT DEMONSTRATE THE TEXT:

Hab 3:17 Although the fig tree shall not blossom, neither shall fruit be in the vines; the labour of the olive shall fail, and the fields shall yield no meat; the flock shall be cut off from the fold, and there shall be no herd in the stalls: Read: Joe 1:10-12

7Therefore the abundance they have gotten, and that which they have laid up, shall they carry away to the brook of the willows.

These desperate refugees are taking what little they can─all their hard earned savings─they are heading for willow creek─hoping to cross the border to safety.

CROSS REFERENCE SCRIPTURES

THAT ILLUSTRATE THE TEXT:

Isa 10:14 And my hand hath found as a nest the riches of the people: and as one gathereth eggs that are left, have I gathered all the earth; and there was none that moved the wing, or opened the mouth, or peeped.

8For the cry is gone round about the borders of Moab; the howling thereof unto Eglaim, and the howling thereof unto Beerelim.

The gut-wrenching sobs have spread like a sand storm to all borders of Moab. Their howling and cries could be heard all the way to Beerelim. The cry for help was throughout the length and breadth of Moab.

CROSS REFERENCE SCRIPTURES THAT

ESTABLISH THE CERTAINTY OF THE TEXT:

Jer 48:31-34 Therefore will I howl for Moab, and I will cry out for all Moab; mine heart shall mourn for the men of Kirheres. O vine of Sibmah, I will weep for thee with the weeping of Jazer: thy plants are gone over the sea, they reach even to the sea of Jazer: the spoiler is fallen upon thy summer fruits and upon thy vintage. And joy and gladness is taken from the plentiful field, and from the land of Moab; and I have caused wine to fail from the winepresses: none shall tread with shouting; their shouting shall be no shouting. From the cry of Heshbon even unto Elealeh, and even unto Jahaz, have they uttered their voice, from Zoar even unto Horonaim, as an heifer of three years old: for the waters also of Nimrim shall be desolate.

9For the waters of Dimon shall be full of blood: for I will bring more upon Dimon, lions upon him that escapeth of Moab, and upon the remnant of the land.

It was a slaughter at the border crossing and the stream of Dimon was running with blood from the slain. The people of Moab that escape will be finished off with the lions as they head to the mountains for refuge. God was not finished yet with Moab for her remnant would be hunted down by the lions.

CROSS REFERENCE SCRIPTURES THAT PRESENT OVERWHELMING PROOF OF THE TEXT:

Jer 48:43-45 Fear, and the pit, and the snare, shall be upon thee, O inhabitant of Moab, saith the LORD. He that fleeth from the fear shall fall into the pit; and he that getteth up out of the pit shall be taken in the snare: for I will bring upon it, even upon Moab, the year of their visitation, saith the LORD. Joe 1:10-12 They that fled stood under the shadow of Heshbon because of the force: but a fire shall come forth out of Heshbon, and a flame from the midst of Sihon, and shall devour the corner of Moab, and the crown of the head of the tumultuous ones.

Lev 26:22 I will also send wild beasts among you, which shall rob you of your children, and destroy your cattle, and make you few in number; and your high ways shall be desolate.